MOBILE, Ala. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District personnel are actively assessing and addressing structural damage discovered earlier this spring at the Claiborne Lock and Dam spillway on the Alabama River. The damage has not impacted lock and dam operations.
On April 16, a portion of the west abutment wall upstream of the spillway collapsed into the river, revealing a significant crack in the upper section of the wall. At the time, the situation was assessed as a moderate urgency concern. As a precaution, barriers were placed to prevent vehicle access to the overflow dike, and warning tape was installed to keep visitors and fishermen away from the affected area.
In the weeks following the collapse, the Mobile District’s operations and engineering teams launched a detailed site inspection. On April 30, structural and geotechnical experts from the engineering division, working alongside survey crews, arrived on-site to assess the stability of the remaining structure and investigate the cause of the failure.
The operations division deployed its new underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) to perform subsurface inspections to support the assessment. On the same day, a multi-beam sonar survey was also conducted to collect high-resolution data, which engineers are using to evaluate the extent of the damage and support future repair planning.
“The ROV and sonar data are giving us critical insight into the subsurface conditions and helping us understand how the failure progressed,” said Dennis Mekkers, Mobile District civil engineer. “This kind of detailed information is essential when you’re planning for long-term repairs on infrastructure like this.”
The inspections revealed that the fallen section of the abutment wall had exposed the end of the grouted riprap armor cap and other structural elements. While these surfaces were hardened and resistant to erosion, the remaining portion of the cracked wall is leaning toward the river. That section is currently being held in place by internal rebar and gravity.
“We’re closely watching the condition of that remaining wall section,” said Mekkers. “It’s stable for now, but that stability depends on factors like gravity and the integrity of the embedded rebarthings that can’t be guaranteed indefinitely.”
The root cause of the failure remains under investigation; preliminary observations suggest multiple contributing factors.
“We’re evaluating every possible factor so we can fully understand what led to the collapse,” said Mekkers. “That’s the only way to ensure the repair is effective and resilient going forward.”
Ultimately, the damaged wall will need to be removed and reconstructed. Specific repair methods are still under evaluation.
The wall site remains popular with local fishermen, and additional access restrictions are being considered and implemented to ensure public safety.
“The team is closely evaluating potential contributing factors and repair options to ensure we pursue the safest and most effective path forward,” said Mekkers. “We’re encouraged by the collaboration between our operations and engineering teams, and while this will take time and funding, we are working through it with a clear focus on long-term integrity and public safety.”